The Darkest Minds: A Forgettable Dystopian Misfire
A profoundly uninspired teen dystopian film that redefines the meaning of “forgettable cinema.”
In a world gripped by fear, a mysterious disease is decimating the child population. Those who survive develop extraordinary abilities: heightened intelligence, control over electricity, or even the power to spew lava. The most dangerous among them, including our protagonist, possess the ability to read minds and manipulate thoughts, reminiscent of the powers wielded by the lead in “Preacher.” Terrified by this surge of puberty-fueled powers, adults eagerly send these children to special facilities under the guise of treatment, where they are exploited as laborers. Ruby, our heroine, escapes this oppressive system and joins a group of fellow outcasts searching for a mythical sanctuary where children can live in peace.
Legend has it that every few years, a film emerges whose existence defies rational explanation. It arrives at the wrong time, feels out of place, and has virtually no chance of leaving a mark on history or even in the memories of its few viewers. And yet, here it is: “The Darkest Minds,” flickering across countless screens worldwide. Unnecessary, pre-forgotten, a black sheep amidst the current blockbuster landscape. A young adult dystopian story released when even the relatively well-known “Divergent” and “Maze Runner” franchises are failing spectacularly at the box office. A heavy-handed metaphor for racism, delivered at a time when open discussions about racism are commonplace.
There’s an overwhelming sense that this film was intended for release about seven years ago. While it wouldn’t have been significantly better received then, its existence would have at least possessed a modicum of logic. “The Darkest Minds,” with its constant plot conveniences, soundtrack of tired pop hits, and a tone that shifts more frequently than the characters utter the sacred phrase “They fear us,” truly feels like a project straight from production hell – though, depending on your perspective, perhaps it is.
A Missed Opportunity
If a teen dystopian film were to be made in 2018, it would require someone like Matthew Vaughn, or at the very least James Gunn, at the helm. Someone capable of deconstructing the genre, rebuilding it, breathing new life into its stale corpse, and creating a “Lord of the Flies” for Generation Z. Jennifer Yuh Nelson, director of the last two “Kung Fu Panda” films, didn’t set out to achieve such a feat, and even if she had, the result would likely have been just as disappointing.
Visual Shortcomings
Unlike her fellow animators Brad Bird and Andrew Stanton, who transitioned from animation to live-action with seamless visual flair, Yuh Nelson seems to have lost her touch, as if losing her brushes and paints meant losing her hands and eyes. The real world proves to be far beyond her competence. The direction here is on par with mediocre fan films, riddled with amateur mistakes like disjointed shots, awkward framing, and completely broken pacing.
Apathetic Execution
Yuh Nelson’s incompetence as a live-action director is so glaring that one can’t help but wonder if she simply didn’t care. Even if that were the case, it’s hard to blame her, just as it’s hard to imagine anyone approaching this story with genuine enthusiasm. It feels as though the screenwriters were playing a twisted version of “Bingo,” where the numbers are replaced with teen dystopian clichés. A special hero? Check. A sudden, forced romance? Check. “They’re killing us because they’re afraid”? Present and accounted for. Unexpected twists involving government figures? Of course! A blatant hint at a sequel that will never happen because no one cares about the first installment? Bingo!
Final Verdict
“The Darkest Minds” isn’t worth discussing, let alone mocking. The film has no ambition; it seems to understand, deep down, how ridiculous its existence is. It’s a shame that 20th Century Fox didn’t realize this sooner. “The Darkest Minds” will remain an unfortunate blemish on the company’s resume, as well as on the records of the talented actor Harris Dickinson and an animation director who found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. One imagines that Jennifer Yuh Nelson now wishes she possessed her animated hero’s ability to erase the film from existence with a flick of her pinky finger.